Stockholm Syndome
by louise-83
Summary: Adelle. Aden needs Belle more than ever at a time when he is least willing to accept her help.


Story Title: Stockholm Syndrome  
Type of story: Medium/Long fiction  
Main Characters: Mainly Aden and Belle plus some other regulars

Rating: M  
Genre: Romance, Drama  
Does story include spoilers: UK spoilers  
Any warnings: Sexual content, abuse references, alcohol abuse  
Summary: Aden needs Belle more than ever at a time when he's least willing to accept her help.

Chapter One.

"Belle, get a move on girly! They'll be beating The Diner's door down if we're not there soon!" Irene bellowed a little more irate than the time before, her patience dwindling more with each passing second.

"Just a minute!" Belle called back as she struggled to fasten her bright yellow belt quickly enough.

"You said that 5 minutes ago!" Irene shouted back through Belle's closed bedroom door before her attention was quickly diverted to another of the teens she had opened up her home to.

" Geoff, where do you think you're going? We had this conversation yesterday, no more helping with Melody's campaign until you've caught up with your school work"

"But Irene I ju-"

"No buts boyo. I know you've had a lot on lately but late assignments and failing tests? This just isn't like you. You've got to knuckle down and catch up. Belle! I'm leaving now, right this second! If you're not in the car before I get the key in the ignition you're walking to work!"

"Irene, wait!" Belle cried as she flung open her bedroom door and hobbled into the front room, one dark leather boot on her right foot the other clasped in her left hand together with her overflowing handbag.

"Argh!" she half screamed as she caught a glimpse of Irene retreating through the kitchen door.

Pausing briefly she struggled to maintain her balance whilst putting on her other boot and trying to prevent the contents of her handbag from spilling all over the floor. She'd been up half the night putting the finishing touches to the photography portfolio she had compiled ready for her interview at a top agency in the city and hadn't been able to resist the call of the snooze button when her alarm had unkindly interrupted her deep sleep earlier that morning. Only now, as she realised her shirt was buttoned up incorrectly and she was only wearing one earring, did she curse her lack of willpower.

"Belle?"

"Not now Geoff!" she cried as she hastily removed the offending earring and turned her back on him to rearrange her buttons so that Irene wouldn't fire her for indecency as well as tardiness. That sure wouldn't make the best reference.

"I just thought that maybe yo-"

"Can't you see this isn't such a good time?" Belle snapped as she finally deemed herself to be presentable and headed hastily for the door.

She got as far as the fridge before a tinge of guilt washed over her and she spun on her heels back towards Geoff. It wasn't his fault she was late after all.

"Make it quick" She instructed. A broad smile spread instantly across Geoff's face and Belle knew she'd been right to stop, even if Irene was going to kill her.

"Well I guess you heard that I've kind of fallen behind at school lately?" he squirmed his face glowing slightly red.

"Kind of" Belle nodded not wanting to increase his levels embarrassment. He hadn't had the easiest of times of late.

"Well I've got this assignment due Monday and if I could really blitz it then it would certainly be a good start getting back on track"

"I guess. But I don't really understand why this has anything to do with me?"

Geoff hesitated, the back of his hands suddenly becoming the most interesting thing in the world.

"Spit it out Geoff, I said quick didn't I?"

"Well I thought if I good get the point of view of someone who had actually been through it, rather than just using accounts from books then it would help my grade"

"Been through what?"

"Well it's a history assignment"

"Right. So is this your way of calling me old?" Belle laughed.

"No!" Horror flashed across his face at the thought he had offended her. He hurried to explain.

"It's about hostage situ-"

"No!" Belle interrupted firmly, the small smile that had been playing on her lips instantly disappearing.

"No way Geoff! I can't even believe you would ask"

"I just thought th-"

"Well think more carefully next time!" She snapped, retreating out of the door and heading up the drive way to find that Irene had in fact left without her. She sighed as she passed her rust bucket of a car, that had been out of action for days, and set off walking in the direction of The Diner.

***

"Nice of you to grace us with your presence girly" Irene mocked as Belle ran into the kitchen and speedily tied an apron around her waist.

"Well I would have been here earlier if someone had waited 5 seconds!" she moaned as she picked up the order Leah had just placed on the counter and began to put it together.

"Ha!" Irene scoffed "5 years more like at the speed you were going!"

"Well I would have been 5 seconds behind you had Geoff not decided to be an insensitive pig this morning!"

The tone of Belle's voice was almost an audio version of steam gushing out of her ears.

"Woah! What?" Irene asked baffled and Belle filled her in on Geoff's request.

"I'll have a word with him" Irene offered giving Belle's shoulders a reassuring squeeze.

"No." Belle shook her head "No. Just leave him. I probably overreacted a little. He wasn't there, he doesn't know what it was like. Best just to leave it"

"OK, but just because he's an upstanding Christian the vast majority of the time that doesn't mean you should let him get away with it when he doesn't think about anyone else's feelings remember that" Irene smiled as Leah hurried into the kitchen.

"Are those orders for tables 6 and 9 ready yet?"

"Working on it!" Belle pressed fast forward on her internal remote and began to speed up.

"We're all going to have to work a bit faster today to deal with the Saturday crowd what with Roman being at the hospital" Leah sighed.

"What? Is he ok?!" Irene asked clearly concerned as Belle slowed down again and rotated her head towards Leah.

Leah looked slowly from Belle to Irene then back to Belle again.

"Oh no. You don't know do you?"

"Know what?" Belle was starting to worry now and stopped what she was doing completely.

"Is Roman ill?"

"No, Roman's fine. He's just there supporting Aden"

"Aden?! There's something wrong with Aden?" Belle enquired, her face etched with concern.

"No! No. It's Larry, he was rushed to hospital early this morning with suspected multiple organ failure. It's not looking good" Leah explained.

Belle stood in silence staring back at Leah for what could have only been a few seconds but felt like a lifetime, as her words sunk in.

"Irene" She finally spoke, her voice fraught and breaking.

Instantly Irene pulled her car keys from the top of her handbag and placed them in Belle's right hand.

"Go!" she instructed closing Belle's hand around the keys and untying the knot that held Belle's apron in place.

Without a word Belle rushed out of The Diner, Irene only just catching the falling apron as she did so.

*

"Roman!" Belle called out as she caught sight of him at the coffee machine at the opposite end of cold and clinical hospital corridor.

"How is he?" She asked as she finally stopped in front of him.

"He's in surgery but it's not looking good" he replied and then realised he'd incorrectly interpreted her question.

"Bearing up but I'm not sure how much of it's an act" he answered again.

"He's down the corridor, first left. Just follow the yellow line" he gestured towards the line painted on the floor before taking a sip from the beige plastic cup he held in his hand.

Belle took a deep breath before setting off down the route the yellow line had planned out for her. She wondered if Dorothy had felt this apprehensive following the yellow brick road?

Turning a corner a flash of Nicole's golden hair was the first sight that greeted Belle. Ahh the wicked witch she thought, this is actually a Summer Bay version of The Wizard of Oz.

She hadn't anticipated Nicole's presence and almost turned right around and left again but it was too late.

"Belle?" Aden questioned as though he thought he was hallucinating. His eyes were full of exhaustion and vulnerability that made her want to throw her arms straight around him. She resisted.

"Hi" she attempted a weak smile.

"What are you doing here?" he asked confused.

"I just thought you might need a friend" She shrugged suddenly feeling stupid for rushing straight there. They weren't even on speaking terms. Aden had been avoiding her like the plague since she'd confessed to sleeping with Angelo.

"He's got friends, so you're surplus to requirements" Nicole smiled snidely as she threaded her arm though around Aden's.

"Nicole!" Aden scolded her.

"Well _I'm sorry_" Nicole said insincerely "but since when have you two ever been friends? She made her choice."

Nicole looked straight at Belle and stepped forward encroaching on her personal space.

"So why don't you toddle back off to Constable Risotto like a good little girl" Nicole mocked.

"It's Roset-" Belle stopped mid correction. "You know what it doesn't matter, don't worry I'm leaving".

She turned to go.

"Belle wait!" Aden called after her. "Stay."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Dad likes you and it was nice of you to come" He turned towards the blonde scowling by his left shoulder. "Nicole, this is not the place so just zip it ok?"

"I guess so. But don't for one minute think we're friends" She glared at Belle.

"Oh don't worry, I've got friends so you're surplus to requirements' Belle quipped, noticing a small smile grace Aden's lips for a brief moment as she did so.

Aden fidgeted in the hard and uncomfortable seat next to Belle, stress and heartache clearly rushing through him. She wanted to reach out to him but held back fearing he would push her away and that Nicole would relish the opportunity to tell her how unneeded she was again.

Nicole had already embarrassed her by pointing out that her shirt was still buttoned up wrongly. Another snide comment and Aden would have to physically restrain Belle from slapping her. And that was not what he needed right now.

It had been hours, but the tension, the awkward silence and the constant ticking of the clock on the wall above them made it feel more like days. Belle was thankful when Rachel appeared and the uncomfortable silence ended.

Aden instantly jumped up from his seat.

"What's happening?" his question sounded more like a demand.

"Aden, why don't you sit down?" Rachel asked sensitively.

"I don't want to sit down, I just want to know what's happening, it's been hours!" he snapped, running his fingers through his hair in frustration as tears threatened to break free from his resistance.

"Well there's been some complications with the surgery. It seems Larry has a problem with his blood, it's not clotting and that's making everything more difficult which means it's taking longer than usual. But a haematologist is in the theatre assisting now, they're doing everything they can".

"Is he going to make it?" Aden looked Rachel straight in the eye.

"We'll know more when the surgery is completed"

"That's not an answer!" He shouted his body slumping back into the chair as he buried his head in hands.

"Aden," Belle said softly "They're doing their best".

She lowered her body onto the edge of the chair next to Aden's and finally reached out to him, gently placing her hand on his arm. Instantly he recoiled, knocking her hand away so forcefully it sprang backwards and hit Nicole, who was inconveniently stood next to her, square on the chest.

"Oww!" Nicole cried out vigorously rubbing the point of contact for affect but no one was paying any attention to her.

"Aden!" Belle cried "I was only t-"

"Only what Belle?" Aden interrupted turning his head towards her, his voice brimming with rage. "What do you care about anyone but yourself?"

"Aden, I-" Belle began clearly wounded by his words. She cared, he knew she cared. Didn't he?

"I DON'T CARE!" He bellowed so loudly Belle wondered if only dogs could hear him as both she and Nicole recoiled in shock at the pure venom in his voice.

"Why are you here? I clearly mean nothing to you so why are you here? Just get out!"

"Ade-"

"GET OUT!" He screamed, moving closer towards her as Roman reached out and pulled him back.

"Calm down mate!" He instructed as Rachel pulled Belle away from him.

"Belle I think you should go" Rachel advised clearly concerned for her wellbeing as much as Aden's.

"But..."

"Belle!" Roman snapped.

Without another word Belle fled back down the yellow line, wishing she had Dorothy's shoes to transport her home.

A few hours later Belle scanned the fridge for something tasty for dinner. Anything to distract her from the day's events. She had been replaying Aden's outburst in her mind over and over but she still didn't know where his pure venom had come from or if he'd really meant it. Was it just because he was stressed or had he been carrying all that hate around just waiting for the right time to unleash it on her?

She sighed and slammed shut the heavy fridge door not having found anything capable of distracting her. She glanced towards the table where Geoff was rapidly flicking through the pages of about 20 different books he had scattered around him, clearly stressed and tired.

"History assignment?" She asked glancing at the cover of one of the books.

"Erm yeah" Geoff replied sheepishly. "Listen, about earlier I'm so-"

"Don't worry about it" Belle replied scanning the first chapter of the book she now held in her hand as Geoff turned his attention back to his assignment. She read a few lines of the book and watched Geoff write and delete the same sentence on his laptop at least 3 times. She pulled back a chair and sat down.

"Ok, what do you want to know?".


End file.
